Model plane flight control device



April 1968 F. J. GALLAGHER 3,375,605

MODEL PLANE FLIGHT CONTROL DEVICE T0 ELE V8727! HIGH SPEED NEUTRIFLELEV/970R 49 1 62 if Q) J INVENTOR Francis J Gallagher IT/"URN 5.

April 2, 1968 F. J. GALLAGHER 3,

r I A MODEL: PLANE FLIGHT CONTROL DEVICE I Filed May 24, 1965 4Sheets-Sheet 2 77 9.9 7 2g 65 W 22 To ELEV/:raq T0 MOTOR HIGH SPEEDNEUTRfiL ELE VHTOR r0 5w; ran 26 k 5/ K 2/ u g E 4 1 TO MOTOR 22 6'0 10Wwy /\9 LOW $7 550 0 NEUTRAL ELEV/W672 INVENTOR Hands .1 Gallagher BY x1 9 1477 ORNEYS April 2, 1968 F. J. GALLAGHER 3,375,605

I MODEL PLANE FLIGHT CONTROLLDEVICE Filed May 24, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3P 5 Low SPEED NEUTRHL ELEV/7727K TD ELEV/770R l 22 i T0 moron INVENTORFrancis .1 Gallagher ATTURN 5.

April 2, 1968 F. J. GALLAGHER 3,375,605

MODEL PLANE FLIGHT CONTROL DEVICE Filed May 24, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4LOW SPEED T7 F #4 up ELEVATOR To ELEMTo 7'0 MOTOR 5 I @551 62 J5/@ -60INVENTOR fizz/106s J. Gallagher United States Patent 3,375,605 MODELPLANE FLIGHT CONTROL DEVICE Francis J. Gallagher, 409 Delaware Ave.,Staten Island, N.Y. 10305 Filed May 24, 1965, Ser. No. 458,055 1 Claim.(CI. 46-77) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A model airplane flight controlmechanism having a throttle control bellcrank lever rotatable about afixed fulcrum on a structural plate connected to the fuselage and anelevator control lever located at the other side of the plate, saidlatter lever having a pivot pin movable transversely of the fuselage ofthe airplane in a slot in said plate and also within a slot in one armof the bellcrank lever ofthe throttle control, said latter slot curvedconcentrically about the throttle lever pivot.

This invention relates to an improved flight control unit for a modelairplane, and more particularly concerns a simplified, more reliableconstruction for a throttle and elevator control unit of the type havinglevers actuated by three control wires.

The present invention provides for a mechanism for controlling a modelairplane in flight having controls for the throttle and the elevatorincorporating levers that are independently supported on a fuselageplate with the throttle lever and the elevator lever being independentlycontrolled.

The invention constitutes an improvement over control units of typesheretofore known which are mounted in model airplanes. Known prior artcontrol units experience considerable difiiculty in the operationbecause the levers and other parts of the controls for the throttle andthe levers and other parts of the controls for the elevator often arethrown into frictional engagement with each other whereby the motor ofthe model airplane fails. to respond to the applied force. Full controlof the airplane is thus lost and the air-plane flies wildly.

The present invention has as a principal object the overcoming of theabove and other difficulties and disadvantages by providing a throttleand elevator control unit for a model airplane, in which the unit hassimplified construction.

A further object is to provide a control unit for a model airplane inwhich throttle and elevator control levers are pivotally mounted atopposite sides of and spaced from a base plate so that they cannotinterfere with each other and so that they turn freely on their pivotsindependently of each other.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings and to the appended claim in which the variousnovel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of a model airplane in flight, provided with acontrol unit embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the control unit on an enlarged scale shownin one position of operation, set for high motor speed and neutralelevator position.

, FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the control unit shown in the positionof FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the control unit with levers shown in asecond position, set for low motor speed and neutral elevator position.

ly to the lever 55 and coplanar therewith.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the control unit with levers set in theposition of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6 -6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the control unit with levers shown in athird position set for high motor speed and down elevator position.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the control unit with levers shown in afourth position set for low motor speed and up elevator position.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of parts of the control unit.

In FIG. 1 a control unit 10 is partially shown by dotted lines installedin a model airplane 12. The airplane has an internal combustion engineor motor 14 located in the nose of the fuselage 16 for driving propeller18. The motor has a throttle control lever 20 actuated by a throttlecontrol rod 22 connected to it. At the tail of the airplane is anelevator 24 actuated via a lever (not shown) by an elevator control rod26. The elevator is shown in a depressed position in FIG. 1. Theelevator is secured by hinge means 25 to tail wings 28. To the extentdescribed the model airplane structure is conventional.

The control unit 10 is actuated by two control wires 32, 33 for changingthe position of elevator 24 and a single control wire 35 for operatingthe throttle of the motor 14. The control unit 10 is best shown in FIGS.2-9 to which reference is now made.

The control unit 10 includes a flat rectangular base plate having holes42 in its four corners for receiving screws 44; see FIG. 9. These screwsare secured in side rails 46, 48 attached to side frame bars 49, 50 ofthe airplane. A screw 52 is fixed in a hole 54 in the base plate. Thisscrew serves as a pivot pin at the fulcrum of a fiat bell crank lever55. The lever 55 is located underneath the base plate as clearly shownin FIGS. 2-9. Screw 52 extends through a hole 56 in the lever. A spacerring bearing 58 is interposed between the lever '55 and the underside ofplate 40. A washer 59 and nut 60- are applied to the underside of thelever 55.

Lever 55 is a throttle control member. To one end of this lever at hole61 is pivotally secured one end of a control rod 62 to which controlwire 35 is connected. Throttle control rod 22 is connected at its rearend to the outer free end of lever arm 65 which extends angular- Rod 22is pivotally connected at hole 66 in arm 65.

A curved slot 68 is formed at the other end of lever 55. In this slot isslidably engaged a screw 70. The screw 70 serves as a pivot pin at thecentrally located fulcrum of a flat elevator control lever 75. Lever islocated at the upper side of plate 40. Screw 70 extends through a washer76, centrally located hole 77 in the lever, a spacer ring bearing 78,and transversely extending slot 80' in the plate 40. Underneath theplate 40, screw 70 extends through a spacer ring bearing 82 interposedbetween lever 55 and plate 40, then through slot 68, a washer 84 underlever 55 and finally a nut 85.

Elevator control rod 26 is pivotally connected at its forward end tolateral arm 88 of lever 75. The hooked end of the rod is engaged in ahole 89 at the free end of arm 88. Hooked ends of two control rods 90and 92 are pivotally connected to opposite ends of lever 75 at holes 91,93. The elevator control wires 32, 33 are connected to outer ends ofrods 90, 92 respectively.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show one operational position of the parts of the control'unit 10. Lever 75 is disposed in true fore and aft extending directionso that arm 88 extends transversely of the plate 40. In this balancedposition of lever 75, the elevator 24 is in a neutral position. The

throttle control lever 55 is shown in FIG. 2 turned to a fullcounterclockwise position. This advances the rod 22 forwardly to theleft and the motor is operated at maximum speed.

It will be apparent that the position of the throttle control lever 55can be changed without effecting a turning movement of the lever 75 asindicated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. Here the lever 55 has been turned inaclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 5 to retract rod 22 and lower thespeed of the airplane motor. Since the lever 55 turns on screw 52, thescrew 70 moves laterally in slot 80, or upwardly as shown in FIG. 4,carrying the lever 75 with it but without turning this lever. Thus theelevator 24 remains in its neutral position as indicated by the legendsin FIGS. 4 and 5.

If it is desired to lower the elevator 24 from its neutral position tothe depressed position shown in FIG. 1, While keeping the motoroperating at high speed, this can be accomplished by turning the lever75 clockwise as viewed in FIG. 7. The position of the throttle controllever 55 will remain the same as shown in 'FIGS. 2 and 3, as may berealized by comparing FIGS. 2 and 3 with FIG. 7.

If it is desired to raise the elevator while keeping the motor at highspeed, this can be accomplished by turning the lever 75 counterclockwisefrom the position of FIG. 7. Since the levers 55 and 75 turnindependently of each other these independent controlling movements arepossible.

FIG. 8 illustrates the positions of the levers with elevator up and withmotor at low speed. Lever 75 is turned to a counterclockwise positionfrom that in FIGS. 2, 5 or 7, and lever '55 is turned to a clockwiseposition from that in FIGS. 2 and 7.

It will be noted that both levers 55 and 75 are spaced from the plate 40so that there can be no frictional engagement therebetween and noresulting retardation of turning movement such as has been experiencedwith operating levers of prior control units of this type.

The control wires 32, 33 and 35 are held in the hands H, H of theoperator and manipulated so that the tension in wire 35 is increased ordecreased in relation to the tension in wires 32, 33 but retainingtension on all'three wires. Increased tension on wire 35 results inclockwise motion of lever 55, moving rod 22 which slows the engine ofthe model. Any decrease in tension in wire 35 in relation to wires 62 or33 will cause lever 55 to move counterclockwise because of the pul ofthe model away from the operator. The control unit has basically athreepiece construction which contrasts with prior art control unitshaving a multiplicity of levers and links, some of which are compositedual lever and dual link structures. As a result of the simplifiedstructure, the present control unit is lighter in weight, less expensiveto manufacture, easier to install, more reliable in operation, and morebe made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appendedclaim.

What is claimed is: 1. A control unit for a model airplane fuselagehaving a motor in the nose thereof controlled by a throttle, an Ielevator hinged at its tail, a throttle control rod operativelyconnected to the throttle and an elevator control rod operativelyconnected to the elevator; comprising a support plate mountable in afixed position in saidfuselage between the nose and tail, a throttlecontrol lever disposed on one side of said plate, first pivot meanspivoting said lever on a fixed fulcrum intermediate its ends to a fixed.point on said plate, said *fulcrum fixed in relation to said plate,spacer means interposed between said lever and plate on said pivot meansso that said lever turns freely with respect to said plate, a throttlelever control member connected to one end of said lever, said leverhaving a lateral arm for connection of said throttle control rodthereto, an elevator. control lever disposed at the other side of saidplate, said plate having a transverse slot therein, said throttlecontrol lever having a short slot at the other end thereof, said slotcurved concentrically about the throttle lever pivot-permitting freerotation of the throttle lever, second pivot means extending through thetransverse and short slots and pivotally mounting said elevator controllever at the other end of the throttle control lever, other spacer meansinterposed between said elevator control lever and the other side of theplate so that the elevator control lever turns freely with respect tosaid plate and turns independently of said throttle control lever,elevator lever control members connected to opposite ends of saidelevator control lever, said elevator control lever having a lateral armfor connecting said elevator control rod thereto, whereby the two leversare turnable independently of each other for actuating said throttle andsaid elevator independently of each other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,404,922 7/ 1946 Padgett 4677 I2,543,965 3/1951 I Harniltoni 4677 2,624,152 1/ 19531 Sneed 46--772,736,133 2/1956 Carpenter .46--77 DEIJBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

